IIHS simulates crashes to see which car seats protect against whiplash

The Insurance institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has just released a video which shows how they conduct rear-end crash tests to see how well car seats protect people from whiplash injury.

The IIHS developed BioRID, a dummy which was built to simulate the human anatomy with a spine and a vertebrae. The head, neck and torso of the dummy simulates how a real person would move and the likelihood of a whiplash or neck injury in a rear-end crash at 20mph.

The video is pretty interesting to watch and one can see it here on the IIHS YouTube channel.

The IIHS, along with motor vehicle manufacturers, have found that the design of car seats and headrests/restraints is effective in reducing the risk of whiplash injuries. According to the IIHS, over 60% of new motor vehicles have head restraint systems that are rated “good.”
Whiplash Injury

Whiplash is a non-medical term which people use to describe a wide range of injuries to the neck caused when there is hyperflexion and hyperextension of the neck in motor vehicle accidents. Whiplash injuries are most common in rear-end car accidents though they can also occur in falls or during contact sports.

Whiplash injuries can occur even in low-speed car accidents and the IIHS is currently doing their testing at 20mph.

In a whiplash injuries, the bones, discs, muscles and tendons in a person’s neck can sustain a sprain or a more serious injuries. Sometimes, a person can sustain a spinal cord injury which can result in qudriplegia or even death.Diagnosis and Symptoms

The diagnosis of a whiplash injury is done by taking a thorough patient history, a physical examination and x-rays or medical imaging. Treatment may require a person to wear a cervical collar until the pain ceases. Other treatment involves physical therapy. For most people, whiplash pain can last but a few days. However, in some cases, it can lead to a serious disability, limited head movement and chronic pain.

If you r a loved one has suffered a serious whiplash injury due to a car accident, you may be seeking answers to your legal questions. The Farber Law Group, an injury law firm located in Bellevue, Washington has specialized in car accident cases for more than 30 years. Contact us today for a free and confidential case evaluation.